Funding for Compensation for Caregivers for the Developmentally Disabled in Montgomery County

Dear Councilwoman Navarro:

I am writing as a District 4 constituent and as the brother of a resident of the Rubin Home, part of the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes (JFGH).

In the last speech Senator Hubert Humphrey ever made, he instructed us that

the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life; the sick, the needy and the handicapped.

This wise admonition is particularly apt as you and your colleagues consider the County Executive’s proposed reductions in the Montgomery County Supplement for direct service workers for providers, such as JFGH, who play essential roles in ensuring safety and health of those, like my 64-year-old brother, who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. Many of these support personnel work two jobs simply to stay afloat. The May 2015 increase in the Montgomery County Supplement for the FY16 County Budget was intended to keep these workers at an hourly rate higher than the minimum wage. By eliminating the funding for this increase, some staff will leave their careers as caregivers to work less demanding jobs at higher hourly rates; and those who remain will continue to fall behind inflation. Please reject the proposed “Savings Plan” and maintain the budgeted increase in the Supplement to support the dedicated individuals who serve those with intellectual or other developmental disabilities.

Please keep in mind Senator Humphrey’s wisdom as you consider the Supplement.

Sincerely,
David S. Fishback